Being Late, Being a Father
by akaccino
Summary: -OneShot- When Ron comes home late from work again and breaks a promise he has made to Rosie and Hugo, Hermione has had it. How do they react when their children overhear their typical arguement? Please R&R!


(A/N)- Yikes. It's been awhile. A long while...three months to be exact. Yowzeers, sorry about that guys. I dunno what happened. It's not that I don't have any inspiration or motivation to write...I just don't know what TO write! I have all the time in the world, yet I have no plots or anything in mind! I mean, if you want to help me out, please- suggest something in your review! If not, you'll just get more of these little no-plot one-shots that I post because I feel guilty for not posting in...months...three months...Moses, that's a long time! -sigh- Sorry again.

Anywho, please enjoy the no-plot one-shot. (:

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The rain was thundering harder on the Weasley house and the sun was setting fast. She peeked out the window and noticed the sun was sinking past the dogwood trees in the backyard.

Her children looked up at her with impatient faces and she smiled at them reassuringly, but her daughter saw through her. She shoved away from the table and stormed up the stairs. Her mother stared after her, but didn't call after her because she was a second away from doing the same.

She glanced over at her son, but he was unzipping his jacket and taking his small feet out from his rain boots.

She sighed.

It was eight thirty two. Ron was late even though he had promised to take his children to Diagon Alley for the first time. Lily was going off to Hogwarts soon and she needed all the necessary effects to go along with her. They were supposed to leave to get everything at eight fifteen. It was now eight thirty three.

He had been late a lot lately.

Hugo placed his boots next to each other by the front door and stared out the front window for a minute or so before following in his sisters wake up the stairs. She heard his comforting voice and her high upset voice from the ceiling.

Hermione touched her wedding ring lightly and suddenly her eyes felt itchy.

She wondered to herself if she was creating mountains out of molehills.

Ron was a wonderful father and an even more wonderful husband, but lately he had so much work, there was no time for family. Hermione felt selfish for feeling neglected. She should understand of all people. In their third year, she had to turn to the use of a Time Turner because of all the work she had taken upon herself. She had no time for sleep let alone friends! She should understand. So he was a little late from work, it was a typical household situation.

However, another hysteric, high-pitch sob came from upstairs and she glanced at the clock again. Eight thirty nine. She felt anger rising under the false layer of sympathy she just created for him. _Ron_…

There was a crack outside the door and she felt a rush of relief and anger at the sound. She jumped up and hurried to the hallway. She threw open the door and saw Ron's tired yet apologetic face just inches away from her own.

"Rosie's not angry, is she?"

"You expected anything less?"

Ron sighed, closed his eyes, and his forehead fell against her own.

"Sorry. I know. Val has me helping with the Auror trainees. I swear they're getting younger and stupider by the second."

Hermione listened silently, staring at the ground and he leaned away. He was watching her, but she refused to look up.

He took her chin softly and lifted it so she had no choice. She gazed into his confused eyes and blinked the wetness away.

"You're really angry," he guessed.

"Ron, do you know how upset Rosie and Hugo are? You have been late every day this week! You need to be here for them! You're their father!"

"I know that!" Ron shouted, his ears red.

"Then start _acting_ like it!" Hermione blew up, stamping her foot in frustration, her fists clenched. "Ron, this is the time in their lives where they need a father the most! You need to talk to Hugo about things I can't! Rosie too! They both need you and you're never _here_!"

"Hermione, I'm not at work just for me! It's for the whole family!" Ron yelled back. "I'm not like I want to be at work at all hours! I don't want to miss out of this stuff! I'm not happy with this any more then you are!"

"This is not _my_ fault!"

"I never said it was!"

"Then stop shouting at me!"

"Why are you attacking me then? Do'ya think I want to be late everyday? Do'ya think I want to miss this stuff?"

"Well I don't know, do I?"

"Now what the hell's that suppose to mean, Hermione?"

"_Stop it_!"

The shrill scream was choked on so much emotion that Ron and Hermione forgot momentarily about their anger and glanced behind them.

Rosie stood in a stance that was much like Hermione's. Her shoulders were hunched slightly with stiff arms and clenched hands. Her lips were pressed a thin line and there were two wet lines that trailed down her freckled face from her bright blue eyes. She glared at her parents with intensity that both of them rarerly saw. Hugo stood behind her, grabbing hold of her sweater as if he was trying to stop her from interfering, but it was a lost cause. His terrified eyes flicked between his parents and his sister.

Ron, who was leaning forward slightly in Hermione's face, straightened up. Hermione looked up at him and opened her mouth, but no words came out. He took her face in one of his hands, bent down, and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Sorry," he murmured against her cheek.

"You will be on time tomorrow," she whispered in his ear.

"I expected anything less?" he laughed exasperated.

"Me too then," she pulled away. He looked at her cautiously.

"Sorry?"

"Yeah. I should understand of all people about work."

Ron grinned a little, "Yeah, you should, shouldn't you? What's up with this ambush?"

Her look made him end the teasing and he smoothed down her hair lovingly before turning to his children.

He walked over to them and squatted to their short height. Rosie's blue eyes were still fierce and angry. Hugo was still keeping a hold on her shirt just in case.

Ron sighed, "I'm sorry I was late."

Rosie opened her mouth furiously, but the angry retort didn't come from his daughter.

"For being late?" Hugo asked incredulous, dropping his hold on Rose. They both looked over at him in surprise. "Everyone's late sometimes! You don't have to fight with Mom about it!"

Ron glanced back at Hermione and saw the same guilty expression on her face as she fidgeted with her cuffs.

"I'm sorry for fighting with Mom," Ron apologized again cautiously. Hugo 'hmphed' and crossed his arms. "But it's alright. We're not angry anymore."

He heard another dubious 'hmph' sound from behind him and before he could help it, he turned around and snapped, "Not helping!"

There was a silence that darkened the tiny hallway and Ron sighed again.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I'm sorry for shouting with Mom, I'm sorry I was late, and I'm sorry that we can't go to Diagon Alley tonight. It's too dark now, but we can go tomorrow."

"Will you be here on time?" Rosie asked scornfully.

Ron turned to her in amazement. When had his little girl become so hot-headed? He took her cheek and wiped away the tears that still lingered there with his thumb to remind her of some of her vulnerability.

"Yeah, I will. Promise."

Small arms threw themselves around Ron's neck and he staggered backward onto his backside. He hugged back his daughter and looked up confusedly at his wife. She looked back down at him with the same face because Hugo was hugging her at the knees.

"Don't fight with Mum," Rosie mumbled. "It's not right."

"Even if Dad's late- just make him do chores or something. Don't fight," Hugo agreed.

Ron had shape her hair away from his mouth so he could speak. She had more hair than Hermione!

"Guys, sometimes Mom and I will get in arguments, I mean, it's going to happen- we're Mom and Dad, but it's okay because we can work it out. So don't worry," he said in a carefree voice and her rigid grip tightened. "Seriously, don't worry so much, can't…breathe…Rose-!" he gasped.

Rosie loosened her arms and Ron lifted her away by her underarms.

They both stood up and Rosie wiped her eyes with her arm.

"Better?"

She nodded. They walked into the kitchen, which was bright compared to the dim hallway. Ron and his children sat down at the table as Hermione poured of tea and re-heated it with her wand.

Ron glanced at his son.

"You okay?"

"Sure," Hugo said shrugging and Ron ruffled his hair. He laughed and shoved his arm away. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good! Dad!"

Hermione placed a cup of tea in front of Ron and his grin vanished as he gently caught her hand.

"And what about you?" he asked seriously.

She ran her free hand through his copper hair and their children looked promptly away as she leaned down to press her lips against her husbands.

Hermione poured herself a cup and sat down next to Ron. Rosie dove into the list of things they needed to get the next day in Diagon Alley.

"And the scales should be easy enough to find…and Dad," she sighed finally. "Am I really getting a toad?"

"What?" Ron asked, lowering his tea from his mouth. "Who told you you were getting a toad?"

"Uncle George."

Ron rolled his eyes, "Don't listen to anything George says; he's full of dragon dung. I'm getting you an owl."

"You are?" Rosie gasped, bouncing up and down.

"You are?" Hugo asked, jealousy coloring his voice.

"You are?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening.

"Yeah, I am," Ron said, sitting back in his chair and folding his hands on the table smugly. "I've been saving up so you could bring an owl to Hogwarts."

Rosie jumped out of her chair, ran over to her father, and planted a fat wet kiss on his cheek. "Thank you Dad!"

"Rose- gross," Ron complained, wiping off her spit.

"I'm going to lay out my clothes for tomorrow!" she announced with a huge smile on her face and thundered up the stairs, Hugo right at her heels.

"Why do you get an owl?" he protested.

He glanced over at Hermione who was sitting back looking dumbfounded. He smiled back cheekily and sipped his tea prudently.

"This is why you've been late?"

Ron shrugged and then nodded, grinning widely.

"And you couldn't have let me in on it?" she asked angrily.

"I was being a good father, like you said," he pointed out, placing his elbow on the back of the chair and cocked his head at her.

Her mouth opened and closed several times before she launched herself at him.

"You- complete- _arse_- Ronald- Weasley," she muttered between kisses. Ron smiled against her lips, remembering.

"I know, I know."

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A review would be most appreciated! (:


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